To Buy A Rolls Royce, Or A Few Reliable Honda's?

[Rusty Mouse]

With a paycheck that will put me in the "shopping spree" category this week as a result of working long hours I am in a comfortable position to buy one mind blower of a pipe OR a few pipes that may not have the visual appeal of said mind blower but will certainly get the job done and done well. A workhorse, if you will.
What would you do?

 

[user 2031]

*

 

[Rusty Mouse]

And then throw in a few cobs... they're cheap workhorses.

Interesting, as I was just discussing cobs in a different thread, may not be a half bad idea as I still don't have any.

 

[jlong]

Think about rotation. How many bowls a week you smoke?

 

[Sasquatch]

I'm of the "buy the best you can afford" persuasion. It's really a pleasure to have a pipe with a perfect stem and a perfect draw.... really hard to describe unless you experience it.

Actual $$ is a consideration here though - are you talking 200 bucks or 800? I have a 200 dollar Mastro de Paja that I smoke the hell out of. "Truck Pipe" for me - would be a prize of many collections, so.... it's all relative.

 

[Rusty Mouse]

I'm of the "buy the best you can afford" persuasion. It's really a pleasure to have a pipe with a perfect stem and a perfect draw.... really hard to describe unless you experience it.

Actual $$ is a consideration here though - are you talking 200 bucks or 800? I have a 200 dollar Mastro de Paja that I smoke the hell out of. "Truck Pipe" for me - would be a prize of many collections, so.... it's all relative.

Anything above and beyond $500.00 would be too much for me at the moment, not due to funding but because I would just be terrified to own such a piece, I would never smoke anything above that price range, not right now anyway, don't trust myself.

 

[Rusty Mouse]

Think about rotation. How many bowls a week you smoke?

I think that's where Simple Man made a good point. Probably around 7 - 14 bowls which I don't think would require a huge rotation at all, so if I took the plunge on a higher end pipe and grabbed a few cobs along the way in case I wanted to smoke more (keeping in mind I have a decent sized rotation already) I'd be golden.
I suppose my thought behind this is, yeah I've got a Rolls Royce in my driveway, but on the day I'm late for something incredibly important, my car won't start, I'm screwed. All the while my neighbour lives comfortably knowing if one of his several Honda's breaks down it's highly unlikely they'll all break down at the same time and he'll have backup. Even the most luxurious cars can go to sh*t or cost a ton to repair, then you're out major dollars, but Mister Multi-Honda has probably spent the same amount on all his cars that I did on one.
I've come to find pipes and cars is the best analogy since I arrived here
Am I making any sense at all?

 

[Zeno Marx]

What's the rush? Build the collection/rotation slowly. Build a relationship with each. Let the money sit and watch for a pipe to really grab your attention. Could be a $50er or a $300er. Could be tomorrow. Could be in six months.

I went through phases as a music collector when it wasn't about the music. It was about consuming. It was about finding a new package in my mailbox every day. And then one day I realized I was just buying stuff. I liked the stuff. I was glad to have the stuff. But really, it was just stuff. I lost my direction. I love music. I don't love stuff. It's a fine line. I stopped buying and consuming. I went back to all those albums I barely had time to absorb and slowly morphed the stuff into music. re-gained some perspective.

 

[Rusty Mouse]

What's the rush? Build the collection/rotation slowly. Build a relationship with each. Let the money sit and watch for a pipe to really grab your attention. Could be a $50er or a $300er. Could be tomorrow. Could be in six months.

I went through phases as a music collector when it wasn't about the music. It was about consuming. It was about finding a new package in my mailbox every day. And then one day I realized I was just buying stuff. I liked the stuff. I was glad to have the stuff. But really, it was just stuff. I lost my direction. I love music. I don't love stuff. It's a fine line. I stopped buying and consuming. I went back to all those albums I barely had time to absorb and slowly morphed the stuff into music. re-gained some perspective.

You may have caught me in the same spiral. I suppose those folks that say "Build a huge rotation first, then you'll be good" can damage a man's pipe buying experience, and wallet!

 

[jefe1037]

From a Bro new to the game, I'd like to lay out my plan to see if it is helpful/ see what you think.

I currently have two pipes that I love that were around 40 apiece. (it was three... see "Pipe Travesty" Thread in Pipe Techniques if you care for details)

I plan on getting four cobs to supplement a nice rotation and keep things dry, then turn those into beater pipes as I find reasonably priced pipes to fill out my rotation.... also keep a few new cobs handy for a buddy who wants to join me on the porch with a pipe but hasn't started down our slippery slope!

I'm sure along the way, I may treat myself to something in that higher price range one day, but why? There are 600 dollar pipes that can be had for a song in the estate section on any site or in any B&M with a decent selection.

The difference between pipes and cars is devaluing. A good pipe can never go bad with simple maintenance... pipe cleaners, maybe a little booze every once in a while. Pipes don't have timing chains and head gaskets.

Since you have a good rotation, why not give in to TAD rather than PAD? Start yourself a cellar or fill out the one you already have!

On the other hand, a cob would fill in the spot in the rotation if your rolls royce pipe ever needed to go to the shop.... just playing devil's advocate.

 

[dshpipes]

Zeno speaks the truth!

We've all gotten lost in the throws of consumerism before and probably will again before all is said and done. That being said, I've learned to reign that in somewhat and to buy the best that I can. I know that sentiment has been expressed already, but it's true.

You should also buy what moves you. If "the best that you can" is in the $300 to $500 range but you are considering "just buying something" it's not going to please you. I've got a pipe or two left that I rarely smoke, but cost me over $250 because I thought I just had to have a fancy artisan pipe. Keep in mind that's all I buy now, but at the time it was a silly purchase.

A good example of why it's best to buy what moves you: I recently bought my first Rad Davis Pipe and I am totally in love. However, it took 3 years of watching every update that he made to his website, checking every Rad that got posted in a retailer's update, and following every e-bay Rad that popped up to find the one that sang my name.

Put some money aside and wait for that pipe. When it appears, buy it and you won't be sorry you waited.

 

[dshpipes]

And follow jefe's advice. Dropping $50 on TAD is way cheaper and can stave the urge.

 

[monbla256]

I was just a few years younger than you when I started smoking a pipe and was given a good piece of advice by a tobacco shop owner who had been in the business since the 1940's "... learn how to smoke, smoke one tobacco at a time and get to know one makers pipes at a time." I followed his advice and have had an enjoyable pipe smoking life these past 40+ years. I started with BBBs, aquired the six I have at present over the next 3 years and moved on to GBDs. From there I went up to Charatans as my income had increased and I was able to pay more for each pipe. Picked up some Savinelli's and by then had a good idea of prefered shape and finish I liked and have gone on till today.
All of these differnt makers pipes, many the same shape and size, have each a different "feel" and way of smoking and I'm glad I did it this way as i felt more and more confident as I went along every year as to what "worked" for me. I would pass on the same advice to you and just add to take your time ( a BAD thing that word "time" ) and learn each pipe and your 'baccy and enjoy yourself

 

[jefe1037]

monbla... Thanks for passing that along. It is a soothing piece of advice, especially considering that something that I have taken away from my reading since I have been on BOB is the overwhelming diversity of all aspects our community: pipes, tobaccos, accessories.... we even have a haberdashery board for pete's sake
I am tempted by every pipe I see and every tobacco that is reviewed. That being said, I am on my second tin of tobacco and am not really planning too far into the future.... only to the next tin. At some point, I want to do some aging, but that time will come with extra coin in my pocket

 

[Rusty Mouse]

( a BAD thing that word "time" )

Haha, time and patience have been haunting me these past few weeks! Perhaps pipe smoking is going to change me for the better after all, I guess I haven't had to have patience or wait a whole lot in my life thus far, this whole experience is really opening my eyes. I guess I'm just trying to jump years at a time to get a hefty collection of both pipes and tobacco, a mistake to be sure.
Thanks again for your advice.

 

[Rusty Mouse]

I've got a pipe or two left that I rarely smoke, but cost me over $250 because I thought I just had to have a fancy artisan pipe.

Oh boy have I made that mistake already and I've hardly begun!

 

[monbla256]

Your'e very welcome. This whole "pipe thing" at least to me, is something I do for my own enjoyment and all to often in today's highly competative world we make so many things into something they really should'nt be Enjoy your next pipe and take your time

 

[Hermit]

"... learn how to smoke, smoke one tobacco at a time and get to know one makers pipes at a time."

I did it just the opposite; I dove in with both feet
and bought a bunch of pipes and one of just about
every blend to try everything (although, I did avoid
aromatics). I spose either way works. :lol:

 

[Smoker99]

Since you apparently don't smoke all that much, I would go with a higher end pipe, while you have the chance to get one. From a practical standpoint, I think $300-$400 will get as good a smoking pipe as it is possible to make. Beyond that, it is style points, just my 2¢.

 

[Harlock999]

I think it all depends on where you are on your discovery of pipes. If you're still figuring out what you like, then spending modestly seems a good idea, then when you've determined what works for you, splurge and buy some nice examples of the style you like.
Pretty much any pipe is gonna do the trick when it comes to burning tobacco for pleasure, but it's nice to have some cool pieces that you'll look forward to when the time comes to light up.